Hydraulic ram or engine



(No Model.) 4 sheets-'sheet 1.

W. A. RIPE. HYDRAULIC RAM 0R ENGINE.

No. 357,414. Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

(No Model.) 4 Vsheets-:s119911 2.

W. A. RIPE. HYDRAULIC RAM 0R ENGINE.

No. 857,414. Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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HYDRAULIC RAM ORYBNGINE.

Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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(No Model.) r

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(No Model.)

W. A. RIFE. HYDRAULIC RAM 0R ENGINE.

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-force necessary to close the valve; fourth, the

VILLIAM A. RIFE, OF VAYNESBOROUGH, VIRGINIA.

HYDRAULIC RAM OR ENGINE.

y SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 357,414, dated Feblay 8. 1937- Application filed August 3, 1886.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. RIFE, of Waynesborough, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Rams or Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which-it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specication.

My invention relates to an improvement in hydraulic rams or engines; and it consists in, first, a base or water-chamber having a horizontal portion where the water is admitted from the drive-pipe and a raised portion upon which the air-chamber is placed for the purpose of obtaining an increased suction at each reaction of the water, whereby sufcient air is drawn through a tube or petcock provided for this purpose to keep the air-chamber snpplied with air; second, in ahydraulic rarn or engine, a drive-pipe for conveying the creek or river water, and a pipe leading from the spring for conveying spring-Water into the raised portion of the water-chamber, and which pipe is provided with a stop-cocl,whereby the supply of spring-water may be shut off and the creekwater forced to the point of delivery'alone, or the stop-cock opened and the spring-water be forced to the delivery alone, and thus the rain be made either single or double acting, as may be desired; third, a pivoted U-shaped lever, which is provided with an escape-valve, an adjustable weight, which can be moved back and forth, so as to regulate the flow ofwater or combination of a U -shaped lever, which is provided with an escape-valve at one end and a counter or reacting weight at the other,with an adjustable weight,which can be moved back and forth upon the lever, for controlling the opening and closing ofthe valve.

Figure l is a perspective of a hydraulic ram or engine embodying my invention in full,and showing the parts constructed and arranged for the purpose of having the creek-water force the spring-water to the point of delivery. Fig.l 2 is a vertical section of the ram, taken through the center of Fig.` 1, so as to show all of the Serial No. 209,860. (No model.)

parts in position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the lower portion of the ram,

showing the ram arranged for single-acting only. Fig. Il is a similar view to Fig. 3, showing the pipe which conducts the spring-water .attached to the ram, whereby the ram is Vmade double-acting, and also showing the escape- `valve open `and the flow of the two kinds of water as being influenced by gravity. Fig. 5 vis a similar view to Fig. 4, showing the escapevalve closed by the upward force of the escaping water and the delivery-valve open, admitting the spring-water and air into the airchamber, the spring-water being forced into the chamber by the downward movement of the creek or river Water through the drivepipe. Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5, the arrows showing the effect produced a vmoment later by the reaction of the creek or river water after expending the force exerted, as shown in Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are detail views of the delivery-valve and valveseat.

A represents the drive-pi pe leading from a source of supply of creek or river water down a suitable inclination toward the ram or engine in the usual manner and connected to the horizontal part ofthe water-chamber B. Upon the horizontal part, and formed as a portion of this water-chamber B, is the escape-valve chamber C. Upon the chamber C is rigidly secured by four hooked bolts, A, a top or plate, D, which forms the escape-valve seat and the support for the lever. This support extendsa suitable distance beyond one side of the chamber C and sustains the rocking support E. Crosswise upon this rocking support E is boltedcentrally. the lower part of a U- shaped lever, F. To the lower end of thislever F is rigidly secured the stern of the escape-valve G. The upper and lower arms of thelever are connected together, so that both ends of this U-shaped lever will rise and fal `withthe escape-valve G.

Upon the upper arm of the lever is placed a sliding weight, H, which maybe moved back and forth on the bar over the pivotal point at the rocking support E, and this weight having a` pin to pass through y its center and corresponding perforations in the lever, it may be conveniently fastened at any desired place on the lever. When this weight H is placed between the pivotal point and the escape-valve G, it imparts weight to said valve, and a stronger upward current of water is required under the valve to close it. When the weight is moved in the opposite direction and beyond the pivotal point, the weight of the "escapevalve G may be so nearly counterbalanced that a very slight upward current will close it, and yet the passage or orifice through which the water escapes remain the same. XVhere the usual means are employed to regulate the distance, the escape-valve shall fall to open, or by other means of narrowing or reducing the size of the orice through which the water has to :force its escape, in order to control the flow, the driving or forcing power of the water is reduced, and the constant action of the different parts has a tendency to change the flow of the water by wearing or working loose the adjust-able parts.

In the plan here shown the escape-valve may be adjusted to open sufficiently to almost allow a free passage for the water to escape; but the movable weight can be adjusted to eut off the flow to suit the action of the ram or engine,to perfectly control the quantity of water for driving the ram or flowing from the supply per minute.

Attached to the free end of the upper arm of the U-shaped lever is a reacting-weight, I, which' is carried above the horizontal line of the lever to which it is attached, as shown in Fig. 5, on the upward stroke, and returns with a reacting downward force, as shown in Fig. 6, assisting the escape-valve G to drop more quickly during the movement of the reaction in the drive-pipe, which reaction in some 1ocations is very short, and if the escape-valve does not fall promptly it will be inclined to remain closed, and thus the action of the ram or engine cease. By the inliuence of this reactingweight such inclinations are overcome and constant action kept up.

One end of the water-chamber B is inclined upward or elevated, forming a base upon which is secured,by means of four hooked rods, the air-chamber J, as shown, and which chamber incloses the open end of the water-chamber B. Around this open elevated end of the water-chamber B,upon the base,is formed the delivery-valve seat C, as shown in Fig. 7, and upon which plays a vertically-acting deliveryvalve, L. A

Up through the under side of the elevated end of the watenchamber, directly under the delivery -valve L, is inserted vertically a spring supply-pipe, M, leading from aspring or other source of fresh-water supply, and which pipe is provided with an overiiow-pipe, N, and a check-valve, O. rIhe overflow-pipe N may be made of suitable length, and being adjustable to any angle, the upper end, from which the spring-water momentarily escapes, may be raised or lowered to suit any location vated part of the water-chamber B, and above the level of the escape-valve G, is inserted the petcock R, at which elevation a reliable airsupply for the air-chamber may be attained automatically by thereaetion of the water in the drive-pipe, which causes asuction through the petcock, by which the supply of air may be conveniently controlled at will.

It will be seen in Fig. 6 that the petcock or air-tube is inserted at this elevated point, above the level of the escape-valve, so that if there is only sufficient reaction to let the escape-valve open there will be sufficient suction produced at this point, and that it will be increased in proportion to the elevation of the water-chamber. If the air tube or cock is inserted down on a line with or in the drivepipe,where it has been usually placed hereto fore, in many locations the reaction is not sufviicient to draw air in at this point, and a tube as an air-feeder proves ineffective, and other complicated means have therefore been employed for forcing air into the air-chamber.

In Fig. 4, the escape-valve being open, the flow commences, influenced by gravity, as shown by the arrows. The creek or river water (shown by dark lines) ows down the drive-pipe A and discharges at the escapevalve G, and the spring-water at the same ICIO time iiows from the spring, through the pipe M, into the water-chamber B, directly under the delivery-valve L, lling the elevated end of the Waterchamber B, and,passing down the inclined portion, comes in contact with the creek or river water at the escape-valve G, thus llingthe entire elevated end ofthe waterchamber B with spring-water, as represented by the light shaded lines. When the upward current of the escaping water becomes sufcient to raise the valve G, the iiow is instantly cutoff at the escape-valve, as shown in Fig. 5, and the inertial force of the moving column of creek or river water is exerted upon the springwater in the upper end of the water-chamber B. The check-valve O in the spring supply-pipe closes to prevent the return of the spring-water through the pipe M, and hence it must pass through the delivery-valve L into the air-chamber J and be discharged through the delivery-pipe P. The spring supply-pipe M being provided with the overflow-pipe N, in which the spring-water may momentarily rise or escape when the check-valve O closes thus prevents any stoppage or check in the flow of the spring-water down the pipe M, the spring-water being always ready to enter the upper end ofthe water-chamber B the moment the creek or river water has expended its force and reeedes, as is shown in Fig. 6 by the return of the arrows. The pressure of the IIO creek or river water at this moment is relieved at the escape-valve G, which opens, and the delivery-valve L being instantly closed by the pressure in the air-chamber, asuction is produced in the elevatedend of the waterchamber B. Air is drawn into the upper end of the water-chamber at the petcock R, and the spring-water againresumes its fiow. into the water-chamber, replacing theY amount of spring-water just driven into the air-chamber .I and again filling the space down the incline, following the creek or river water as it recedes. The creek or river water recovers from this reaction and the dow is again resumed, as in Fig. et, through the escape-valve G. Thus the two waters are caused to play in contact with each other within a properlylimited space, in which the spring-Water has such control that no part ofthe creek or river water can reach or pass through the deliveryvalve to the house or other point of delivery.

Thus the power of the creek or river water is used to force spring\vater,and that in as pure a condition as when it left the spring,without using diaphragms, pistons, or other complicated working parts for keeping the two waters separated. As shown in Fig. 4, the spring supply-pipe M is provided with a common stop-cock, S, whereby the spring-water may be conveniently cut off to act either single or double, delivering either water preferred to the house or other point of delivery, the creek or river water being preferable at times for certain purposes to springwater when the spring-water is of a hard or mineral nature.

In Fig. 3 the ram is shown as single-acting. The opening A2, near the air-feeder, is ,shown as' closed bya plug, Z. As here constructeda part of the driving water only will be forced. When it is desired to make the ram doubleacting, the plugZ is removed and the spring supply-pipe is connected at this point. The inner end of the water chamber being raised upward, as shown, the spring supply and delivery pipes can be swung around in any desired direction, so as to lead to any desired point without the use of additional elbows,v

curves, or bends.

It will be seen that a hydraulic ram or engine constructed upon this plan has great advantage over those made in the usual way, and which have to be specially constructed at a greater expense for double action. In the plan here shown there is no difference inform of the ram for double or single action. In Fig. l it will be seen that the air-chamber is formed with a projecting rim at the top, and the base has rods hooked under its edge, and which pass through the rim and are provided with nuts upon their upper ends, by which rods the air-chamber is drawn water-tight upon the base. The nuts being upon the top of the air-chamber, they are less exposed to mud andwater, and can be protected from rust, and the air-chamber can be more convenientlyremoved than when secured in the usual way bykeys or bolts at the bottom.

The main part of the delivery-valve L consists of the face and stem,which stem plays vertically through an L-shaped guide, Q, secured to the base by means of a thumb-screw, NV. The square plate or washer V, formed with corner guides on its lower side, and which loosely iit the orifice over which the valve is placed, plays vertically with the valve. A common bolt passes through this guidingwasher and a piece of leather or other suitable material, Y, and through the valve-stem, with nut on top, clamping the leather between the washer and face of the valve. This leather can be easily renewed when worn out, the valve being easily removed by means of the thumbscrew, with scarcely any chance to be improperly replaced.

The objects of my invention are to produce a hydraulic ram or engine that may be applied for either single or double action, in which the air-chamber is automatically supplied lwith a large volume of air, whereby the greatest possible effective force in a moving column of water may be attained and economically applied, which ram embraces but few working parts, and those parts simply constructed and e so arranged that the flow of water can be accurately and conveniently controlled and the few wearing parts easily and cheaply renewed, so that a hydraulic ram or engine may be kept in successful ope-ration by persons possessing little or no mechanical intelligence. Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a hydraulic ram or engine, the base B, having the end upon which t-he air-chamber is placed raised upward above its main portion, in combination with an .air-feeder consisting of a short tube, which is passed through this raised end and which pommunicates directly with the outer air, so as to admit air by suction under the valve L at each reaction of the water, substantially as shown.

2. In a hydraulic ram or engine, the combination ofthe base and water-chamber B, having horizontal and inclined portions, and a pipe, M, leading from a spring or other source of fresh-water supply, which pipe is provided with the overflow-pipe N, and a check-valve,

O, whereby spring or other pure water is conducted into the ram or engine and forced by power of creek or river water, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the base and waterchamber B, the pipe M, provided with the IOO overiiow-pipe N, the check-valve O, and a can be used, as desired, substantially as de- In testimony whereof I afx my signature in ro scribed. presence of two Witnesses.

5. The combination of the base and Waterchamber B, the support D connected thereto, XVM. A. RIFE.

the rocking lever F, provided with an adjustable weight, the escape-valve G, connected to Witnesses:

the end of the lever, and :L reacting-Weight, I, F. A. LEHMANN, which is attached to the free end of the lever, JNO. CRITCHER, Jr. for the purpose set forth and described. l 

